U2 rocker Bono considers his fellow band member, guitarist “The Edge”, as much important as Vincent van Gogh in the world of art. Bono compares the sound of the Edge, real name David Evens, with the bright color yellow that Van Gogh introduced to the world. A new sound of music compared to a new color of paint. Find out what the similarities are between The Edge and Vincent van Gogh.
What about the sound of “The Edge”?
Bono explains to Contactmusic.com about the connection between the guitarist and Vincent van Gogh: “The Edge found some new colors in the spectrum of rock. Colors he now owns. Owning a color, wow. Imagine owning the color yellow, like Van Gogh. Edge owns, well I’m not exactly sure what colors they are… indigo or violet or crimson? But you sense an emotional color temperature that is unique to him. It’s his palette we’re painting from.”
The only difference between The Edge and Van Gogh is that The Edge earned a bit more money during his life and had quite more success with the ladies…..
What about Van Gogh’s Yellow?
Vincent’s trademark use of color was yellow, the color of the sun and warmth. Almost every painting of Vincent contains yellow. This yellow was not the average yellow but much stronger. This yellow has bright and strong tones, which are perfectly suited to painting the French landscapes and his beloved sunflowers.
It’s not entirely clear why Vincent was so fond of yellow. There are a lot of rumors around this subject; was he suffering from a visual disorder or was it the medicines he got for treating his mania and/or epilepsy? Vincent was treated with digitalis, extracted from the purple foxglove plant, the main treatment for these disorders in the 19th century. It was used as a sedative, an anticonvulsant, and an anti-manic agent. But one of the side effects of this medicine is a disturbance in yellow-blue vision (xanthopsia), similar to viewing the world through a yellow filter. Glare and colored haloes may also be experienced as visual side effects. Many of van Gogh’s works have a definite yellow cast. Starry Night, The Night Café, Entrance of the Hospital in Saint Remy, Sunflowers, Harvest at la Crau, and many more. Another explanation is Vincent’s use of absinthe which gave him a ‘yellow vision’.
The question that arises is: Did Vincent’s mental illness cause his unique use of colors? Did the medicines cause this special yellow and not Vincent’s geniuses? And what about The Edge? Did he use drugs to create his special sound? Or is all this nonsense and are both artists unique and innovative by nature?